Bluffing the Devil(21)

"We have to make sure that slimy bastard comes back with clothes for Lover Boy, or we will never make it out to eat, right? And I'm getting hungry. This is for everyone," she added as she trotted toward the door.

"Taking one for the team, Rhea?" Victoria jeered. "Mhm, I bet."

Our fit of giggles must have been lost on her as she shut the door quickly behind herself.

"Well, I guess that means we have some time to waste before they get back, why don't you get a shower, and I will straighten things up out here and then get changed in a bit?" I asked Devin.

"I have a slightly better idea, love. You join me in the shower, then we will get dressed together if the clothes ever arrive, if not, we will just stay in towels or sheets or whatever we want, and we can clean later or even tomorrow?" He pulled me quickly to his chest and dropped a powerful kiss to my lips to accentuate his point.

"You do look filthy," Carly added, assisting him. "You two love birds go on, I will clean this little mess up."

"I will help her," Victoria volunteered. As the messiest of all of us, for her to offer her help meant she either was dead bored, or was truly trying to give us some alone time. I suddenly loved her extra for it.

"Okay fine. You know, these expensive hotel showers are tricky anyway, I should go give him a hand," I said with a wink to my girls.

"Yeah, I mean, I think you should use much more than your hand, but that's totally up to you, babe," Victoria bellowed as I closed the bedroom door.

"She has fantastic ideas, love," Devin said with a low grunt as he pushed me against the bedroom door. "I don't know what has happened to me, but since you were defending Rey and I to your friends and really standing your ground, I have been very turned on. You are a force to be reckoned with. I love this side of you."

He leaned in and kissed me roughly. His tongue teased the seam of my lips and begged for entrance. After only a brief moment of guarding my lips, I opened and let him in. He tasted like coffee, sweet cream pastries, and man. The deliciousness of him wrapped around all of my sense and I lost myself in the kiss.

Before I knew what was happening, he picked me up and carried me to the bathroom. I wrapped my arms around his shoulder to hold him to me, not wanting him to let me go. His lips never broke contact with mine for the entire trip. He never lost his footing once and I felt safe in his hands.

He placed me on the counter in the bathroom as he finally broke the kiss. Our foreheads were together, and I could feel his breath dancing across my lips still.

"Shower? I hear it's really complicated to turn this thing on. You know, I might need someone to show me how to use all of those gadgets and things in there also," he said with a sly grin tiptoeing itself across his face.

"Those gadgets are simply called soap and water. You're a big boy, you can handle it." My words were pushing him to the shower alone, but my body was screaming for him to just take me in with him. I already had a shower, but wouldn't mind getting dirty again before having another.

"You know, I'm really exhausted from the trip here and could use some help," he grinned.

I knew getting in the shower with him would be delicious. However, I also knew that I had friends in the next room that could hear and if I am being honest, I'm no field mouse in the sack. They would hear me screaming for sure.

"I would rather keep my friends ears and hearts thinking as innocently of me as possible, if that’s okay with you. The tournament will be finished soon and we will go home and you can have your way with me as often as you like," I teased, then realized again that I had something completely embarrassing. "That is, of course, if you want to go home with me. I naturally assume and shouldn't and I just… yeah. Okay, I'm going to shut up now."

"You assume I would want to be with you at your home? How dare you think I would want that when I am only here on this level of existence because of you," he mocked with a chuckle. He put his hands on either side of my face and tilted it up so I could look into his eyes. "I would love nothing more than to be with you, if you will have me."

A tear threatened to make its way into my vision and I rubbed it away. "That sounds pretty good to me."

His smile melted my heart every time I saw it. This time was no exception. "Well, now that we have that all squared away, can you really help me with the shower. I checked it out earlier while you were in there rescuing Rey, and it really is all weird."

"What, really? Of course I can. You just turn this and flip that and bam! Water!"

"Yes, but as you reached in to do it, I had one hell of a view from this angle. Thanks for that," he said and gently spanked my ass as I walked by.

I stuck my tongue out at him, "Such a guy!"

"You don't complain any other time!" he called out to me as I entered the bedroom to change and force myself to stay out of the bathroom. I decided to go with one of the few cute pieces of clothing I had with me, a simple little black dress. I went to the vanity and sat down to fix my hair to look at least a bit presentable. It was going to be the first time Devin saw me out with my friends and I wanted him to know that I wasn't always just bumming around in sweat pants and tank tops.

I looked in the mirror and could see the steam reflecting from the bathroom. I could smell the body wash, and suddenly felt sad that his amazing scent was going to be washed away and he would smell like me later. Then, I giggled to myself for having such a girly thought. This was not me at all. I felt odd, but good to even have thoughts like that. I had never noticed how Jamison smelled or cared what I looked like when I went somewhere with him. I didn't feel that I was in love with Devin, but I was definitely enjoying having someone around that made me feel new things and wish for more in life.

I quickly threw my hair up in a golden, decorative butterfly clip covered in stones. Then I slipped on the bracelet my father gave me for college graduation. It was crystals, topaz, peridot, and an antique green charm in the center. I wore it for luck at many tournaments. Tonight I wanted to wear it to have something of my family on me, when I was planning to have such a great night out with my friends. Then hopefully win tonight's poker game, and head home as a champion on many levels.

I glanced in the mirror again to see the steam still billowing. I smiled knowing that Devin was enjoying his shower as a free man. I put a touch of mascara on my lashes, a dab of blush on my cheeks, and lip gloss. I was a simple girl in every aspect.

I checked myself once over in the mirror and was proud of the outcome of my efforts.

"I will be waiting for you in the other room, baby. I'm sure your clothes will be here soon," I called to Devin as I was walking out the door.

"I love when you call me baby! Okay, I'm just enjoying some alone time in here since my woman won't honor me with her presence in the mist," he joked back.

"Maybe later if you behave," I retorted with a grin and stepped through to the other room.

"Ooh la la, hot stuff," Victoria said as soon as she saw me. "I feel a little underdressed."

"Pfft, you look beautiful as always," I disagreed; my usual stance on almost any subject that Victoria complained about.

"Well, thank you. Love what you've done here. This is all flashy and sexy. I'm surprised. Where did you get the shoes?" she asked while checking out my newest purchase.

"I got those when I went shopping with Carly the other day before we headed up here. She forced me to get them and said that a sexy shoe could disarm a man in seconds. Since I'm all about protection, I figured, why not?" I giggled.

"Food and shoes is all that, that girl loves in life," Victoria giggled.

"And us, she loves us. Where is she anyway? I know she is going to have a comment about my awesome hair," I said striking an embarrassing pose.

"Oh no no no. Put that pose away. See, you want people to be seen in public with you, you can't go all Vogue on us, okay? Please?" Victoria was nearly begging. "Oh, and she went to the corner market. She said she needed something for later. I don't know what that means, but she should be back any second now."

"She is always prepared, that one. She must have been a Girl Scout. I forgot to ever ask her that. Maybe later! Oh and I promise not to dance in front of anyone while we are eating dinner," I vowed.

"Uh no, that left too much room in the rest of the day for you to act like a fool. You must edit yourself, lady," she forced.

"Okay, ummm… I promise not to dance or sing or maim anyone while we are out, as a group, unless they deserve it. Better?"

"What sort of offense would someone have to commit to have to suffer through you singing something? That's not even right to threaten that, dang!" Victoria's voice was nearly cracking with hysterics. "We could create signs and put them up as warnings to people who enjoy keeping their food down."

I plastered a fake-hurtful face on and pretended to cry, "But… but… Victoria! I just wanted to be a superstar like all the rest of the pop singers. If they can do it, surely I can!"